Surfboards, Kayaks, and Beach Cruisers: Where to Play, Eat, and Stay in Virginia Beach for Easygoing Adventure

Hello Sister was one of the new names I encountered during the festival.Headliners included CeeLo Green, Lupe Fiasco, and Switchfoot.

Seeing Virginia Beach buzzing with festival activities — free fitness and dance classes, games of cornhole, vendors handing out everything from energy drinks to lip gloss and hair ties — I was surprised that the city had never made it onto my radar. I grew up near the Jersey Shore, so we had plenty of beach towns closer to home. But after sunset kayaking, visiting a surf school that made me think I could learn to ride the waves, touring an oyster farm, and biking between breweries, I saw a side of Virginia Beach that’s ideal for travelers who want to keep active, no experience required. Here’s where to play, eat, and stay if that’s you.

Things to do in Virginia Beach for soft adventure

Take a dolphin kayak tour

Before arriving in Virginia Beach, I hadn’t been dolphin-watching in ages, so I was excited for my group’s excursion with Chesapean Outdoors. We paddled into the Chesapeake Bay around 5:30 PM. I’m a terrible swimmer and asked to go with an instructor. My guide, Noah, took the lead and let me ride along for the rest of the trip. While kayaking, we saw dolphins jumping in and out of the water. One of them even leapt right in front of the setting sun. We spent about an hour and a half on the water before an approaching storm prompted the group to head back, but the outfitter’s sunset dolphin tour generally takes two hours.

Chesapean Outdoors: 600 Laskin Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23451

Check out Atlantic Park Surf

While the Super Girl Surf Festival was only taking place over Labor Day weekend, we also visited Atlantic Park Surf, which opened in 2025 and lets visitors surf year-round. (Atlantic Park Surf sits inside Atlantic Park, a larger development.) The centerpiece is a wave pool in a manmade lagoon that’s engineered to produce consistent, rideable waves on demand (the park limits the number of surfers in a given session to ensure everyone gets plenty of turns riding the waves).

We didn’t get in the water ourselves, but we did get to watch both beginner and intermediate/advanced sessions. As an unathletic person, I love the idea of learning to surf in a controlled environment before taking on the actual ocean. For non-surfers, there are also plenty of lounge chairs at the surf park, which overall looked more like a beach club than a theme park.

Atlantic Park also has its own boutique hotel called The Sitio, with just 20 rooms, a minimalist beach-chic aesthetic, and a private pool deck overlooking the lagoon. The lagoon is also surrounded by restaurants, making Atlantic Park Surf a perfect spot to spend the day.

Atlantic Park Surf: 365 18th Street, Suite 154, Virginia Beach, VA 23451

Stop at the Virginia Beach Surf & Rescue Museum

We rented beach cruisers to head over to the Virginia Beach Surf & Rescue Museum, housed in a restored 1903 life-saving station. There, we learned about the history of East Coast surfing. One of the people highlighted was Tom Blake, whose hollow surfboard designs helped make boards lighter and easier to handle. We saw surfboard designs from previous decades, as well as artifacts and period outfits. One of the most intriguing pieces was from the Dictator, a Norwegian ship that wrecked off the coast in 1891. The museum sits at 24th Street on the oceanfront, making it an easy stop during a bike ride along the beach.

Virginia Beach Surf & Rescue Museum: 2401 Atlantic Ave, Virginia Beach, VA 23451

Bike between breweries

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After the museum, we rode our bikes over to Aslin Beer Company, stopping for beer and snacks. Aslin had a large outdoor beer garden, with colorful murals and shipping-container structures, but we were all craving some A/C, so we headed inside. I’m not a huge beer drinker, so I had a ranch water instead. The soft pretzel with melted cheese and mustard was delicious. We also got a kick out of introducing the Europeans on our trip to pimento cheese dip.

Next, we headed over to Smartmouth Brewing Pilot House for pizza and more drinks (I had a strawberry daiquiri). It’s housed in a former post office and has a distinctly industrial feel about it. The menu includes a wide variety of wood-fired sourdough pizzas. We ordered several to share, but my favorite was the fungi pizza to which I added vegan pepperoni crumble. Both spots have bike racks, so it was easy to lock our bikes up without worry.

Aslin Beer Company: 823 Virginia Beach Blvd, Virginia Beach, VA 23451
Smartmouth Brewing Pilot House: 313 32nd St, Virginia Beach, VA 23451

Visit an oyster farm on the Lynnhaven River

I know absolutely nothing about oysters, so I was excited to take an excursion to an oyster farm. Captain Chris Ludford has the kind of passion for oysters that I have for wine. He walked us through how he buys the oysters and then puts them in the water to grow. He leases the land and has multiple cages underwater containing the growing oysters. They start the size of a pinky nail and take one to three years to grow to full size. Ludford brought out some full-size oysters for us to taste. He also made it clear that he doesn’t care for online bookings or email, so make sure to call Pleasure House Oysters to schedule a tour.

Pleasure House Oysters: 3211 Lynnhaven Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23451

Walk around the ViBe Creative District

The ViBe Creative District pleasantly surprised me. We passed murals, walked into galleries, and stopped at places like Jars of Dust (artisan pottery), Gypsy Soul, (eclectic clothing store), and North End Bag Co (handbags). Over at Igor’s Custom, we met a local sign maker crafting hand-painted signs for local businesses and celebrities around the country. Igor also sells naughty Christmas ornaments come holiday time, many of which gave our group the giggles.

ViBe Creative District: 611 18th St, Virginia Beach, VA 23451

Where to eat and drink in Virginia Beach

Three Ships Coffee

I was starving when we walked into Three Ships Coffee for breakfast. The spot was packed. I ordered an iced matcha and a focaccia egg sandwich, both delicious. However, coffee drinkers should check out the house espresso. The cafe’s Shiptown Tidewater Espresso received an Honorable Mention at the 2025 Global Coffee Awards.

Three Ships Coffee: 607 19th St, Virginia Beach, VA 23451

Chick’s Oyster Bar

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Chick’s was everything I imagine when I think of Virginia: an old-school, casual seafood restaurant located right on the water. We shared the rich and creamy she-crab soup made with sherry, roe, cream, and flour. It was less soup and more roux. I opted for a Caesar salad topped with mahi, which was perfect to counter the heavy soup.

Chick’s Oyster Bar: 2143 Vista Circle, Virginia Beach, VA 23451

Chic’s Laundry

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Chic’s Laundry is named for Chic’s Beach, the Virginia Beach neighborhood it calls home, and serves “modern Mid-Atlantic” cooking. It takes seasonal, coastal comfort food and elevates it. I had crisp salmon that was perfectly juicy inside, served with buttery sliced potatoes and broccolini that stayed crisp and bright. We also ordered the soft milk-bread rolls and arancini to share, both of which I devoured.

Chic’s Laundry: 4497 Lookout Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23455

Rose’s

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Rose’s is a hi-fi bar and restaurant with a chic, sexy atmosphere. Other diners were dressed for a night out. The music was fantastic; I kept recognizing songs from hip-hop samples, thinking of Biggie before realizing I was hearing the original recording. Order the scallops and, if it’s on the menu, the burrata with peaches and crunchy bread, which we shared before our mains.

Rose’s: 325 Virginia Beach Blvd, Virginia Beach, VA 23451

Waterman’s Surfside Grille

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For brunch, we went to Waterman’s Surfside Grille, a family-owned spot that’s been serving the boardwalk since 1981. Because it’s located on the boardwalk, you can snag a seat facing the water if you’d like. I ordered the signature Orange Crush (a mixture of orange vodka, orange liqueur, fresh orange juice, and lemon-lime soda over crushed ice), avocado toast, and cheesy grits.

Waterman’s Surfside Grille: 415 Atlantic Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23451

Mi Vida

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At Mi Vida, we started with a large shared appetizer platter that included Mexican-style deviled eggs, empanadas, and taquitos. My battered fish tacos and margarita were delicious, and the platter worked well for a group that wanted to try a little of several things. It’s located inside Atlantic Park, so it’s a convenient add-on if you’re already there for the surf lagoon.

Mi Vida: 336 20th Street, Suite 120, Virginia Beach, VA 23451

Where to stay in Virginia Beach: Moxy Virginia Beach Oceanfront

When you walk into the Moxy, you’ll immediately see a giant bar right in the lobby, a Zoltar machine, arcade games, and a giant slide, with bright colors and music throughout the shared spaces. Downstairs, there was plenty of ocean-facing seating, an outdoor pool, and a patio where we watched fireworks one evening. The hotel also has a complimentary 24-hour fitness center and free morning coffee and tea.

My oceanfront room had a balcony where I meditated and drank tea each morning, plus an unusual layout with two double beds facing each other on wooden platforms. Storage was simple, with plenty of hooks instead of a closet and towels beneath a sink outside the bathroom. I particularly appreciated the shower controls being opposite the showerhead so I could turn on the water without getting soaked.

Expect a casual setup with coded self-service lockers for extra supplies and breakfast available for purchase at Belvedere South Coffee Shop & Diner. I ordered avocado toast with eggs and took it back up to my room to eat on my balcony.

Moxy Virginia Beach Oceanfront: 1201 Atlantic Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23451

Getting to and around Virginia Beach

I flew into Norfolk International Airport (ORF) and took an Uber to the Moxy. The airport is approximately 18.5 miles from the hotel, which doesn’t operate an airport shuttle. An airport rental car is another option if you want to explore beyond the oceanfront during your stay. For a trip like mine, with time spent near the beach and occasional outings farther away, arriving by Uber was straightforward.

The oceanfront area was easy to explore on foot; our longest walk was about 25 minutes. We also rented bikes for our museum visit and brewery outing. Ubers were readily available during my stay and were useful for destinations farther from the hotel, particularly around the Chesapeake Bay and Lynnhaven River.